May 15, 2023
Welcome to
Season 3, Episode 18. We’ve all seen them. Typefaces that signal an
ethnic establishment. For businesses, especially restaurants that
sell Asian food, it’s not unusual to see the use of a “Chop Suey
Font”. These fonts have also been used for politics, advertising,
media, and other businesses. Whether Chop Suey, Wonton, or any
number of mimicry typefaces, using these fonts sends a message that
it’s a place that’s exotic, foreign, yet somehow accessible. We
discuss the history of these fonts and whether they’re racist. To
begin the episode, we talk a little about the shooting in Allen,
Texas. To end the episode, we begin a new segment on Supporting
Athletes of Asian Descent, and we provide a non-hockey fan’s guide
to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Which NHL players of Asian descent are
still playing? Find out here! For previous episodes and
information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com
or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at
info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Talking a Little about Allen, Texas Shooting
- 08:17 The History of Chop Suey Fonts
- 21:57 Supporting Athletes of Asian Descent, Stanley Cup Edition